This invention relates to an electronic control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, and more particularly to a control apparatus for an internal combustion engine for automobiles.
As the demand for automobiles has increased as popular means of transportation, various social problems have occurred. Among them are air pollution and the consumption of petroleum.
In recent years, countermeasures against exhaust gases have been vigorously promoted. On account of these countermeasures, however, the combined efficiency of an internal combustion engine (hereinbelow, termed "engine") has suffered. From the viewpoint of suppressing a decrease in the operating efficiency of the engine and further enhancing countermeasures against exhaust gases, an attempt to enhance control precision by adopting an electronic control system has been effected. For example, a fuel injection system and an ignition timing control system of the electronic control type have been developed. Further, an ignition timing control system employing a microprocessor has recently been developed.
The tendency of prior-art control systems has been to replace mechanical controls with electric controls. Accordingly, electronic control devices for individual controlled systems have been fabricated.
In order to effect exhaust gas-countermeasures and the efficient operation of the engine, it is necessary to comprehensively control the engine. The apparatus as mentioned above, wherein the engine controls are made independent of one another and the respective control circuits fabricated for the independent controlled systems are put together, has lacked integration of the controlled systems and has required delicate control.